Undergraduate Students | Raghavan Research Group

Sreelekshmi Sreekumar

srees_at_knights.ucf.edu

Sreeleksmi (nickname: Sree) is an undergraduate student pursuing Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science. She is working with the hypersonic research team on investigating high temperature hypersonic/aerospace materials. Sree hopes to work in the space industry after her Master’s or Doctorate in the future to help with the mission to Mars. She is a marketing assistant in SWE-UCF, a combustion team member for SEDS-UCF’s liquid bipropellant rocket project, ASME, and a member of First Step. Her hobbies include painting, watching space-related movies/documentaries, tutoring mathematics, and going out with friends. Sree joined the lab in the Spring of 2021.

Natalie Fleming

nataliefleming_at_knights.ucf.edu

Natalie Fleming is an undergraduate student who is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering. Natalie’s interests include optimizing material structures for aerospace applications. She is currently a part of LEAD Scholars Academy, and the EXCEL/Compass program. Natalie is an active member of SEDS and UCF Robotics. Her hobbies include building custom computers, keyboards, and aviator cables. She is currently researching material conditions at high temperatures with her research team focusing on hypersonics. Her future aspirations include making significant contributions to material capabilities in engines, and perhaps become more involved in propulsions. She joined the lab in Spring 2021.

Prapoojith Arcot

prapoojith.arcot_at_knights.ucf.edu

Prapoojith Arcot is an undergraduate student majoring in Aerospace Engineering. His research interests are aerospace structures and materials. He is currently part of the CMAS team, researching the effects of CMAS on TBCs and effective ways to alleviate its effects. He is a member of SEDS, AIAA and Lunar Knights Mining Club. He is currently a member of the Propulsion team of UCF High Power Rocketry team and the Base and Motion team in Lunar Knights which participates in the annually held NASA RMC: Lunabotics. His hobbies include watching and playing soccer, following Formula One and working out. He joined the lab in Fall 2020.

Conference Papers:

Prapoojith Arcot and Seetha Raghavan, “Development of a Stress Corrosion Cracking Test Approach for Multi-Mode Measurements” AIAA 2021 Regional Student Conference, April 2021.

Rohan Madathil

rohan_at_knights.ucf.edu

Rohan is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Computer Science and Math. He is interested in materials research and additive manufacturing currently looking at high-temperature testing for materials in aerospace applications. He is a member of UCF’s AIAA, ASME, and IEEE student engineering organizations. His hobbies include photography, cooking, and re-watching SpaceX Live streams. Rohan joined the lab in the Summer of 2020.

Conference Papers:

Perla Latorre-Suraez, Rohan Madathil, Nya Segura-Watson, Felix Morales, Vanessa D’Esposito, and Seetha Raghavan, “3D Printed Stress Sensors for Non-Destructive Evaluation of Space Structures” AIAA 2021 Regional Student Conference, April 2021.

Posters/Presentations:

Latorre-Suarez P., Madathil R., Segura-Watson N., Morales F., D’Esposito V., Raghavan S., “Developing a 3D Printing Method to Print Stress Sensing Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring” UCF Student Scholar Symposium, UCF, April, 2021 (Undergraduate Presentation Winner).

Nya Segura-Watson

watsonnya_at_knights.ucf.edu

Nya is an undergraduate student pursuing a Aerospace Engineering Bachelor’s degree and is interested in research. He is a member of AIAA, NSBE and SHPE. He is currently researching into high temperature materials for aerospace applications. His future aspirations involve helping expand humanity to outer space. He joined the lab in Fall 2019.

Conference Papers:

Posters/Presentations:

Vanessa D’Esposito

vanessadee_at_knights.ucf.edu

Vanessa is an undergraduate honors student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. She is currently a part of the CMAS team, researching how CMAS degrades TBCs in jet engines and how to mitigate its effects. She’s a member of SEDS-UCF, ASME-UCF, a student leader in ELI2, and sousaphone (tuba) player in Marching and Jammin’ Knights. In the past, she has worked at SimBlocks.io as a software development intern and at PeakActivity as an Innovation Intern, and she currently works as a CWEP at Lockheed Martin under Infrared Search and Track, specializing in algorithm development. Her hobbies include programming, sports, keeping up with space-related news, videogames, practicing and composing music, and painting. She joined the lab in Summer 2020.

Conference Papers:

Vanessa D’Esposito and Seetha Raghavan, “Comparison of 3D Confocal Raman and High Energy X-ray Diffraction for the Measurement of Molten Sand Infiltration in Turbine Blade Coatings” AIAA 2021 Regional Student Conference, April 2021 (Second Place Winner, Undergraduate Category).

Posters/Presentations:

D’Esposito V., Stein Z., Raghavan S., “Effects of CMAS Infiltration on Thermal Barrier Coatings Analyzed by Confocal Raman Spectroscopy and Synchrotron High-Energy X-Rays” UCF Student Scholar Symposium, UCF, April, 2021.

Laura Hagan

Laura_Hagan_at_knights.ucf.edu

Laura Hagan is an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. She worked as a commercial pilot for several years, principally as an Assistant Chief Flight Instructor. She also taught several ground schools to pilots, and held the position as Deputy Chief Theoretical Knowledge Instructor for a school based out of the United Kingdom. Laura holds a BA in French and Literature, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Translation Studies. She is excited to continue her education with the goal of contributing to the advancement of space exploration. Her hobbies include researching the history of the Apollo missions as well as building rockets. Laura is working with the DoE team. She joined the lab in Summer of 2021.

Annie Sanford

anniesanford_at_knights.ucf.edu

Annie is a sophomore undergraduate honors student majoring in Aerospace Engineering and minoring in Intelligent Robotic Systems. She is currently working on the hypersonic research team focusing on hypersonic high temperature material research. She’s a member of the Burnett Honors Congress and SEDS-UCF. She is also in the CWEP program as an intern with Lockheed Martin and UCF. Some of her hobbies include running and biking, watching science YouTube videos, and rewatching old football games. She joined the lab in Summer of 2020.